Fans versus Favorites! Well, you know, it’s more like “Favorites.” Even I don’t really remember some of the returning players. On the other hand, I do remember some people that really annoyed me — Brandon Hantz and Phillip. I also remember some players that I really liked — Eric, Malcolm from just last season, Cochran and Dawn. I liked all of them quite a bit.

In this extra-long first episode, we run through the usual stuff, except there’s a lot more strategizing in the Favs side than there would be normally. Some players are cut out of an early alliance. Over on the Fans side, players are making rookie mistakes left and right and quickly enough, there are people I like and dislike on the tribe of newbies. Good times all around!

I will almost certainly never use the tribe names again but just call them Fans and Favorites.

Reward Challenge!

They’re standing on the beach and Jeff announces it’s time for a challenge. Two people from each tribe will go out into the water at the same time and retrieve a life saver-type ring and bring it back while the other two try to stop you however they can. Tribes need to have a hand on the ring and a post at the same time to score a point. First tribe to four wins. Winning tribe gets a flint and 20 pounds of beans.

Eric and Dawn vs. Julia and Shamar. Eric gets the ring but realizes he can’t get by Shemar, who is much larger. He throws it to Dawn but Julia tackles her and Shemar gets the ring and touches the post. Fans 1, Favorites 0.

Fans. Matt wants a shelter. Shamar wants fire but hasn’t done anything about it. They start squabbling about who is bossing whom around.

Favorites. Malcolm tells us that scoring the winning point helped with making a good first impression.

Phillip tells us getting to the beach is like when his father got to the beach in Iwo Jima. That was some of the bloodiest fighting in the Pacific in World War II. He really does know how to make completely inappropriate comparisons, doesn’t he?. Yes, I’m tired of him already, too.

Francesca wants to do whatever she can to make sure she isn’t voted out first, like she was last time.

Fans. Other people are working on making a fire. Shamar just watches. Then, he takes it over. To his credit, under his direction and effort, they make fire. It’s always impressive when a tribe can make fire without the flint.

Favs. Phillip gives us the lessons he learned from Boston Rob. He goes to Corinne and Malcolm. Then, Andrea and Dawn. And Cochran. He gives everyone codenames He goes to Eric and basically bullies him. Eric tells us he doesn’t want to be with him but he doesn’t have a choice at this point.

Fans. Reynold tells us it was great he get paired up with Allie in the challenge because he wants to work with her. Also, just coincidentally, Allie is a young, attractive, blonde. I know, what a coincidence, right?! They agree they’ll be cool around camp so they don’t draw attention to themselves.

Eddie and Hope stand on the beach that night and look at the stars. They make an alliance based on the fact that they’re the two best looking people in their tribe. No, they actually say that.

In the shelter as everyone is trying to sleep, Laura notices Reynold and Allie cuddling. We see his hands going all over her body, groping her. Laura tells us it’s a bad move since romantic alliances don’t work. You’ll get targeted.

And all of the sudden, it’s Day 3.

Favs. Cochran is very sunburned. VERY sunburned. He says he’s in a lot of painful but he’s trying to be strong.

Fans. So, Hope, Eddie, Reynold, and Allie are aligned and hanging out together. Good gravy these people. SO. DUMB. What kind of fans are these? You don’t separate yourselves like this. Everyone knows you have to socialize. You can segregate yourself into the “cool kids table,” which how they refer to themselves.

A bunch of other people are talking about the four of them and make an alliance against them.

Matt and Michael hang out together in the water and talk about plans. Matt doesn’t want to commit yet. They decide to decide together. Matt hopes they win immunity so they don’t have to decide for a while.

Immunity Challenge! Immunity! Back up for grabs!

Pairs race up a four-story tower and toss three crates to the ground and come back down so the next pair can go. Once all of the crates are on the ground, the last pair will pull the sandbags out of the smashed crates and toss them at six targets. First tribe to hit all six targets wins.

Three sets of pairs in and it’s even. Allie is slow going up as part of the last pair and the Favs take a lead.

Malcolm and Dawn are tossing sandbags for the Favs. Reynold and Shamar are tossing for the Favs. Malcolm has three done before they start tossing. Reynold catches up and then takes the lead. And then Reynold hits the last one and the Fans win immunity.

Post-Challenge

Francesca and Cochran talk about Phillip. Then, they talk about it with Brandon, Andrea, and Corinne.

Andrea tells us that she’d prefer to go with Phillip and she tells him Francesca’s plan. Phillip is excited about voting her off first again.

Eric and Brandon both want Phillip out. Brandon talks with Francesca about it.

Cochran and Dawn talk. They agree to work together. They decide to see what’s in the best interest as far as who to vote for.

Brandon and Eric talk to Francesca about Andrea and how they think she’s playing both sides. They’d like to vote for her.

Cochran tells us he thinks it would be inhumane vote off Francesca first again.

Tribal Council

Jeff says that Francesca and Phillip had an infamous relationship the first time they played, which included him not saying her name properly. Phillip says that he mispronounced her name instead of using an expletive. Nope. Not buying it in the least. At that Tribal Council, he tried and tried to say her name and couldn’t. He can say it now, however, so that’s some growth.

Everybody talks about how they’re paranoid. Cochran talks about how the game is accelerated because they’ve all played.

Well, in the fans, you obviously have the four attractive people vs. everyone else. How will that play out? In the favorites, there’s now a 6 on 3 alignment (Brandon, Brenda, and Eric being the three).

What do you expect to happen in the coming weeks? Let’s hear your Two Cents!